That's Ridiculous! Jennings responds to Jack.
By: Kern DeFreitas (Express).[/size]
British reporter Andrew Jennings is refuting allegations by FIFA vice-president Jack Warner that is Trinidad and Tobago on a witch hunt, or trying to "intimidate" him. In fact, Jennings, the author of the book Foul!-which was released a few months ago that implicated Warner and other top FIFA officials in financial impropriety-is in the country shooting a movie for the BBC on the activities of the CONCACAF president, and has hit back at Warner for what he termed were racial remarks during a UNC rally on Monday night in Rio Claro.
"He used a phrase-and all your viewers would understand this-said 'massa go away, then massa come back'," Jennings said in an interview at the Hilton Hotel on Tuesday night. "That's distasteful. I'm sorry, chaps, I don't know what planet he's on when he's making these remarks."
"I'm offended by being called a racist," he insisted, "but then if you can't take what Mr Warner says at any time seriously, then you're not too offended...it's just silly.
"I don't know what a witch hunt is, I'm a journalist, I investigate like other journalists do-any journalist-allegations against people in public life. That's not witch hunting. The evidence that I look at, whether I'm wearing the hat of a freelance journalist, or book writer, is evidence to be fair, (that) has already been (reported) in your media."
The veteran journalist was also insulted by insinuations that he had been recruited by the ruling political party, the PNM to "intimidate" the CONCACAF president.
"That's ridiculous!" Jennings exclaimed. "I work for BBC television. We pay our own way, we have our own budget. Anybody who suggests that any other agency, particularly a political party in Trinidad could be involved in funding our trip here is just ridiculous."
"I'm a reporter," he added. "He did it, I reported it. If he hadn't done these thing I wouldn't report them."
Jennings said the type of control Warner exercises over local and regional football is unique to T&T, describing it as "worrying".
"That's just very interesting, because it doesn't happen in any other country," the Foul! author stressed. "There are no 'special advisors' in any other federation in the world. It is a strange, and perhaps worrying situation."
Jennings attributed Warner's comments on Monday to the information he has exposed in his book.
"When you start investigating the rich and famous, they start to use all sorts of things like witch hunts, predjudice, bias, and he even mentioned race to me, which I find deeply offensive," he said.
The book has been banned in Switzerland, but Jennings has said that has only resulted in increasing sales.
"Frankly, let me tell you the result of the ban. We're selling more books to Swiss than we would have done. When I was being interviewed last week by Swiss journalists they were taking back suitcases.
"The joke now is that at Zurich Airport, you know they have the usual scanners, and searches for guns, and drugs, and now they're searching for my book as well," he said with a laugh.
He also dismissed claims Express journalist Lasana Liburd had helped him write the book.
"When he (Warner) went on to say that Lasana Liburd had co-written the book, that's fantasy! I have great regards for Lasana Liburd as a reporter, but he doesn't write my books, and I don't write his articles," Jennings said with a chuckle.
Jennings also claimed there was evidence in his book coming out of judgements in Swiss courts, concerning a questionable relationship between FIFA and sports management company ISL (which went bankrupt in 2001), where officials were bribed, and were made to return those bribes when the company folded.
As for the impending World Cup match between England and Trinidad and Tobago, Jennings had no predictions. "I don't care who wins any game in the World Cup. What I want to see is "beautiful football. And if Trinidad and Tobago deliver it, and if they beat England I'm entirely happy..." Jennings concluded.
Related News.
Warner slams British journalist.
By: Phoolo Danny-Maharaj South Bureau.
FIFA vice president and opposition UNC deputy political leader Jack Warner has publicly criticised a British journalist whom he said was brought to Trinidad to harass and intimidate him.
At a UNC meeting at Market Square, Rio Claro, on Monday night, he said that journalist Andrew Jennings had written articles in which most negative things were said about him.
"No foreigner, particularly a white foreigner will come to my country and harass me, intimidate me and push me around," said Warner.
The Daily Mail last week began serialising Foul, a book written by Jennings in which he exposes corruption in FIFA.
Warner, who was speaking in his birth village Rio Claro, said "those were happy days, growing up as a little black boy in a predominantly East Indian community", an experience which has helped him in adult life.
Describing the UNC as a disciplined party, Warner told supporters that there were too many armchair critics in the country who were not doing anything to solve problems.
Foul" book: statement from FIFA
Zurich, 28 April 2006 - FIFA is aware of the book, Foul, by Andrew Jennings that is set to be published. At first glance, FIFA has noted that the book basically reveals nothing new.
FIFA therefore rejects the allegations having already commented on them in writing to the author on several occasions.
As the book contains a number of false and libellous claims, FIFA applied for an injunction on the publication and distribution of the book as a precaution several months ago. The Zurich cantonal high court complied with this request by passing a provisional ruling on 26 April 2006.
Further information from:
FIFA Media Department
